Pay £1,634 for a 12-day luxury short-stay studio, get bitten all over on the first night, get bitten again after moving rooms, and end up sleeping in the lobby — this case is not a hotel, but a short-stay flat in Manchester city centre, England. According to the Manchester Evening News (republished in full by BritBrief), a medical professional staying at the Swan Street House complex in the Northern Quarter, in a deluxe high-rise studio on Mason Street, went from a short stay to feeling “homeless” within a few nights.
What happened: rashes on night one, a mattress full of bed bugs on night two
- The guest is a medical professional originally from Birmingham, in Manchester to work and study. He booked the 12-day stay online for £1,634.
- After the first night he broke out in rashes and housekeeping changed his bedding; on the second night it was worse, and housekeeping did the same again.
- He lifted the mattress himself and found it full of bed bugs — only then was it clear this was not ordinary skin irritation.
- When he raised it with the property, he was told bed bugs “can be in any property” and that this was to be expected. He was moved to another studio, only to be bitten again the next night, with even more bugs the night after.
Sleeping in the lobby, and the impact on health and work
- The infestation was so bad that the guest had to sleep in the building’s reception area, before being asked to move by security.
- He described feeling “helpless” and “homeless”, and ended up staying with a friend — who took him in even knowing there was a risk of carrying bed bugs.
- The incident affected his mental and physical health, and caused him to miss days at work and possibly an exam.
- The guest asked to remain anonymous, and the report does not name him.
The platform’s response: full refund, alternative hotel, full reimbursement
- Short-stay company Veeve said it acted immediately when the guest first raised concerns on October 3, relocating him to alternative accommodation within the building.
- Veeve has offered a full refund, alternative hotel accommodation, and a full reimbursement of associated costs.
- Veeve is working with the building’s management on inspections and precautionary treatments; Veeve operates the flats with UnderTheDoormat, which manages them.
- Veeve said it takes reports of this nature “extremely seriously” and acted immediately.
What Hong Kong readers can take away: short-stay flats need a room check too
- Short-stay does not mean safe: this was a luxury high-rise studio, not a run-down hostel — price and decor do not rule out bed bugs.
- Changed bedding is not a fix: rashes on night one and worse on night two were not solved by fresh sheets; the bugs were inside the mattress, and only lifting the mattress edge and seams revealed them.
- Check again immediately after moving rooms: the first night in the new room is the time to check, not the second.
- Report in writing, right away: the guest’s prompt report to the platform is what led to the full refund and reimbursement; photos, receipts and medical records are evidence.
- Do not bring them home: keep luggage off the bed and carpet, and on returning home wash and hot-dry clothes straight away.
For the full checklist, see the travel bed bug checklist; if bed bugs do come home with you, the DIY bed bug removal guide covers the full process.
Sources
- Manchester Evening News (2026-10-15, republished in full by BritBrief) — https://britbrief.co.uk/business/tourism/manchester-visitors-1634-stay-ruined-by-bedbugs.html
(Written: 2026-10-24; compiled from public reporting. The guest is anonymous; details are as reported, and the platform response is Veeve’s account.)